Facebook has backfired on its plans to implement a new privacy policy that will force users to share their private data with WhatsApp, its messaging app.
Last week, WhatsApp notified its users of the updates in its terms of use and privacy policy, which include allowing Facebook and its subsidiaries to collect their data.
The information contains the phone numbers of the user, location, contacts in the address book and financial transactions done on WhatsApp.
Users can immediately agree to the changes or hide this decision until later. By February 8, however, the messaging application will be inaccessible to those who have not accepted the new rules. WhatsApp has been owned by Facebook since 2014.
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The changes have raised concerns about data collection and privacy.
Questions are being asked about what information WhatsApp collects from its two billion users and what it shares with its sister companies such as Facebook, Messenger and Instagram.
Mugambi Laibuta, who advises companies on privacy and data protection, tweeted that Whatspp’s new data rules are in breach of the Data Protection Act in Kenya, 2019.
Express permission
“If you do not accept the new terms, you are not enjoying the service … This is contrary to the principle of free consent,” he tweeted. ‘Ideally, we have the law on data protection, we have the right to object to the actions of WhatsApp … WhatsApp wants to use our data for commercial purposes. In terms of section 37, they must obtain express permission from us, otherwise they violate the law. ”
Competitive messenger applications like Telegram send sarcastic messages at WhatsApp’s expense. Telegram tweeted a GIF of dancing carriers yesterday with a picture of WhatsApp’s new data rules on the coffin.
But WhatsApp defended its new policy, saying the data would be used to personalize ads.
“Facebook and other companies in the Facebook family may also use information from us to improve your experiences within their services, such as making product suggestions (for example from friends or connections or interesting content) and showing relevant offers and advertisements,” said the company.
Since WhatsApp was notified of the changes, the download of Signal, a competitive messaging app, has increased, making the application the most downloaded in the App Store.
Signal was developed by one of the creators of WhatsApp, Brian Acton, who sold their app to Facebook in 2014. He left the firm in 2017 and founded Signal Foundation which develops the Signal.
WhatsApp tried to clear the air. ‘It’s important for us to be clear that this update describes business communication and that WhatsApp does not change the practice of sharing data with Facebook.
“It does not affect how people communicate privately with friends or family wherever they are in the world,” Will Cathcart, the WhatsApp, posted on Twitter.